The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has released a statement to clear the air on the clash they that happened between them and the Nigerian Army.
In the statement, they explained the peaceful nature of their protests which they say was disrupted by operatives of the Nigerian Army. The clash led to many sustaining injuries.
A senior member of the IMN’s media forum,Shuaibu Musa, said: “The claims that we are moving around with weapons are unsubstantiated. All the marches we have done previously without army or police interference have always ended up peacefully. The question to ask is: who have we ever attacked?
“Let me tell you in Abuja we held a daily sit-out for over a hundred days and nobody was hurt until they (security agents) came and attacked us.
“What is confrontational about a group of people that would come out en masse with their children, women and even their disabled to make their voices heard?
“What is confrontational in the way we have conducted ourselves even in the face of severe provocation. We have never blocked any route.
“We don’t participate in the so-called ethnic and religious confrontations that have been taking place all over the country. Anybody that has stayed in Kaduna will tell you that the homes of IMN Sheikhs and Imams are the abode of safety for all during these crises.
“Have we ever disobeyed any constituted authority? Have we ever been arrested, charged to court and found guilty of disobedience to constituted authorities?
“Some say we kill people but have any Shiite been convicted of murder in this country? They (government) just talk to curry sympathy while instigating public anger against us for nothing.”
On the reluctance of the sect to seek and obtain police permission before staging it protest marches, Musa said: “This issue has been debated even before the Supreme Court. We do not require any police permission to any procession.
“We are not saying everybody must agree with our ways of doing things but we must not also be prevented from doing things our way as long as we have not harmed anyone.”
Musa also shed some light about the violence that happened after the procession in Zuban and other suburbs of Abuja.
“As we speak, we have 17 people confirmed killed in Abuja on Monday. Last Saturday, we had six dead bodies from the Zuba Killings. They (security agents) are liars.
Some of the bodies the army took away were dumped with the police and we have recovered them. By the time, we will be doing the burials; you will see that the dead were real individuals and citizens.
“They (security agents) killed and then dragged the corpses. There are video clips that showed the soldiers were shooting and dragging the corpses and even preventing people from getting medical attention.
After our protest marches, we take time to do a census of our members. We have the names and addresses of every person that has lost his life.
“The 2018 Arbaeen trek ends today (Tuesday) but note that we have also been carrying out the ‘Free Zakzaky’ rallies and campaigns. We will continue to do that not only in Abuja but everywhere.
“However, in the nation’s capital, the Arbaeen trek started about two years ago almost unnoticed because we were not attacked. We thank FCT residents for the support they have given us all these while not only during this Arbaeen trek but also in our struggle to get Sheikh out of detention.
“But we must remind them that the government is not sincere. A government that cannot protect the people when terrorists are shooting innocent citizens is today fighting and killing unarmed Shiites.
